In the Dead of Night
by Malletninja93
Summary: Amateur wizard Ryan Ashwell is well-known in Shepherdstown, WV. When people lose things, they turn to him. When the cops find two bodies and can't figure out who, or what, killed them, the ask Ryan's help. Even if it could get him killed. Rated M for violence and language.
1. Chapter 1

Dead of Night (A Dresden Files Fanfiction)

By Colin Laxton

Chapter 1

I awoke to a pounding on my door that seemed to reverberate somewhere in my skull. It hurt. I opened my eyes, instantly regretting it as the world began to tilt. Everything was too loud and too bright. I grabbed a beer from the fridge, in the desperate hope that the hair of the dog that bit me would help.

Walking to the door, I projected my senses. The simple extension of my will was something I had done thousands of times, but this time was different, and my hangover reasserted itself in order to make that fact clear. I clutched at my head, as if it would help, and staggered to the door. The effort required to open it made me dizzy.

Framed by the angry light of the morning sun through the doorway, stood Detective Jonathan Mallory of the Shepherdstown Police Department.

"You look like hell," he told me flatly. A grin spread across his face as I shot him a look that oozed with venom.

"What in God's name do you want?" I asked him, shielding my eyes from the brilliance of the light outside.

"Well you _are_ the great and powerful Ashwell," he said coyly, "aren't you? I mean, if not you may want to remove the ad in the phonebook that reads Ryan Ashwell, Professional Wizard." His face turned serious. "We've got two bodies in the groundskeeper's house next to the cemetery on the edge of town."

I muttered the strongest curses I knew, and several I made up on the spot. "Let me get dressed." I threw on a shirt and sweatshirt, before grabbing a tackle box and my staff. I put on my rings and made sure that my necklace was still on. The passive enchantment on that necklace was 'programmed' to draw my energy and throw up a shield if something moving too fast got too close to me; it had saved my life countless times. My brother had helped me enchant it, but I had managed my rings on my own. I felt the charge buzzing from the rings, a small, almost-electric tingle at the base of each finger that danced down the tendons of my wrist.

Inhaling slowly, I cleared my mind, pushing the remnants of the hangover aside and renewing my connection with the world of the living.

"Alright," I said, opening my eyes as determination washed over me, "let's get going."

I'd seen some pretty horrific things. The scene in front of me made the list. I paused just before the crime scene tape long enough to throw up last night's alcohol.

Detective Carter came up to greet us, shaking his head at me. "Christ," he swore, "you're too young for this shit."

Detective Mallory greeted his partner with a handshake. He looked at me, concerned. "You gonna be alright, Ashwell?"

"I've seen worse before, just give me a second," I replied, uncertain. I stood there, on the doorstep, for a moment, forcing myself to look inside until the screaming in the back of my mind had quieted. I leaned against the side of the doorframe and stared down at the concrete of the doorstep for a moment, before gathering my wits and stepping inside.

Two figures lay in the floor of the office. You could almost tell they were human. Mr. and Mrs. Pennington had been quiet folk, but had a reputation as nice, if a bit odd. They had kept to themselves, but Shepherdstown was a small town and everyone knew everyone, so they were well enough known to have been liked in the community. Which made the pure hatred of the scene in front of me all the more terrifying. Something had torn them to shreds with such malicious glee, that whoever was cleaning this mess would be more reliant on a vacuum than a body bag.

I drew in a deep breath, trying to desensitize myself to the stench of death that lay heavy about the room. Accompanying the smell, was the thick, intangible tar of black magic that covered the room like a blanket of snow. Failing to acclimate to the smell, I barely managed to keep from heaving on the carpet.

"What's the cause of death?" I choked out.

"It's officially going down as a bear attack," Detective Mallory said softly, "but it looks more like they were mauled by an angry tractor trailer." He put his hand on my shoulder reassuringly. "Is this something from your neck of the woods?" he asked me, gesturing at my staff with his other hand.

I nodded gravely. "This is some seriously bad juju."

"What could it be?"

I thought it over for a moment. "Maybe a hexenwolf or zombie, but they wouldn't leave an imprint that big." I shook my head absentmindedly. "The only thing that comes to mind is a demon. There are lots of those bad enough to do this. I'd have to check with Ian; he knows more about the denizens of the magical world than me."

Mallory nodded vaguely. "I'd like to bring you in on this case. I know you're not an investigator, but I've seen you handle yourself before and you know much more than I ever will about what could've done this. Also, I'll make sure you get paid consulting fees."

"I'll do what I can, Detective," I told him honestly, "but I may not be strong enough to stop it, even if I can find what it is."

"You saved my life and the lives of six officers last spring. You can handle yourself better than anyone I've ever seen." He smiled, almost believing it himself. "Please, Ryan," his tone turning serious and soft.

I didn't tell him about how big the world actually was. I didn't tell him how small a place humans have in it. I certainly didn't tell him how useless my abilities were going to be in the league this thing was playing in.

"I'll do what I can," I said, smiling weakly.

He beamed at me, his smile almost making being in the room tolerable. Almost. "Glad to have you on the case," he said, shaking my hand. "Do you need a ride anywhere?"

I shook my head. "I'm just gonna walk to the Blue Moon and get some coffee."

"Good hunting," he told me as he turned to the town medical examiner, and doctor, who was just coming in the door.

After taking some pictures and notes on the crime scene, I left the stifling house just before the claustrophobia could set in. I began the walk to my favorite café, and got ready to try to chase something down that would almost certainly kill me.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ten minutes after leaving the crime scene, I walked through the door of the Blue Moon Café. It was a relatively large café, as far as small town coffee shops go, and spilled outside into a beautiful patio area, complete with an actual stream that flowed through it on its way to the Potomac River, only a couple hundred feet to the west. The walk had allowed me to clear my mind and get the taste of death out of my mouth, finally giving me the appetite to eat.

I found a booth in the corner and sat down. I closed my eyes and began to marshal my thoughts, trying to piece together facts about the Pennington's deaths.

"What can I get for you today?" came a woman's voice, shattering my reverie.

I looked up at her, and barely managed to keep my jaw from slamming down onto the table.

Her skin was a smooth bronze that matched the bright gold locks that came to her shoulder, and stood in sharp, dazzling contrast to her green in her eyes that evoked images of spring and rebirth. She looked reminiscent of classical paintings of the pharaohs, though even Cleopatra would have been utterly sick with jealousy.

She smiled at me and I, barely, resisted the urge to swoon.

"Are you going to order something, darling?" she asked in a sonorous voice with a sophisticated accent that I didn't recognize.

"I'm sorry," I said, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment, "I just haven't seen you before."

"I'm new," she informed me simply. "What would you like?"

"Just some Assam tea and scrambled eggs," I told her, still trying to collect the tattered remains of my dignity.

She smiled again and wrote it down in her notepad. "People say you're a wizard," she asked me, clearly amused. "Is it true?"

I nodded, grimacing on the inside. "That's what I like to tell myself at least."

She laughed quietly and the sound held more life and beauty than I had seen in my twenty-five years alive. "What do you do for a living, Mr. Wizard?"

"I find stuff, I guess." I laughed nervously. "People come to me to find wedding rings and the occasional runaway, and sometimes for exorcisms."

"Has anyone asked you to find any of the people that have gone missing lately?" she asked innocently.

That caught my attention; I sat up straighter in my seat. "As a matter of fact, no," I said. "Who's gone missing?"

"Several people, actually," she informed me. "Just two nights ago, Sarah Oris went missing."

I thought that over. Maybe Detective Mallory knew something. Either way, I now had two cases to juggle, and that was never pleasant.

"Thanks for telling me," I said graciously. If something was abducting people in my town, I was going to teach it a thorough lesson; a lesson that involved a lot of ass-kicking, and a lot more fire.

She nodded appreciately before picking up my menu. Tattooed on her right arm, was an Ankh with the arms bent down. She turned to walk to the kitchen before I could get more than a simple glance at it. "Oh, one more thing;" she said, looking at me over her shoulder, "finding wedding rings is hardly befitting of a user of the True Magick." With that, she turned away and disappeared into the kitchen.

I sat there blinking, not quite sure what had just happened.

My tea and food were brought by a man not much younger than me. I thanked him and ate in silence. I decided that I was going to chalk the waitress up under 'to be investigated later.'

On the walk home, I determined my next course of action.

I opened the door, walked into the living room, and surveyed the carnage of my home. My brother and my apprentice were passed out on the couch. I opened the blinds, making sure that the light hit the two figures under a blanket, and began cleaning up the living room. Ian flicked me off and rolled over, but Erica blinked sleep out of her eyes and looked for the source of the disturbance. I could tell she saw me from the look of horror on her face.

Then she disappeared.

I sighed as the blanket slipped off her and I heard her footsteps going up the stairs. I went back to cleaning for a few minutes before she returned downstairs. We cleaned in silence.

"Your veils are getting better," I said as I used an all-too-familiar spell to reassemble the pieces of a vase. Her amber skin flushed a rosy pink.

"I'm so sor-"

"Don't be," I said, laughing. "You're an adult. You make your own decisions; I'm here to teach you magic, not how to have a love life, especially when you seem to be much better at that than me."

She gave me a gracious smile. "Thank you," she said softly.

"That being said," I began, her face dropping as I did, "could you at least use his bedroom next time?" She smiled sheepishly and I heard my brother mutter something about where I could go. I picked a paperback off the floor and threw it at him. It struck him in the face with a satisfying thud.

He yelped and sat up, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He glared at me and went upstairs to dress. I finished cleaning as he returned, looking marginally less upset. I smiled at him pleasantly and decided it was best to let him get coffee before I tried to talk to him.

Several minutes later he returned, noticeably less irritable.

"Better?" I asked, smirking.

He grumbled a little more, but there was no edge to it. "What do you want?"

I considered several answers, before finding one that didn't involve violence. "I need you to talk to Detective Mallory and find out what kind of demon killed the Pennington's."

He looked at me for a moment, clearly shocked.

"I wouldn't go to the crime scene either, if I were you," I said frankly. He nodded solemnly, but gave me a look that told me that he would go anyway.

"Where are we going?" Erica asked. "Erm, that is, if you want me to go," she corrected herself anxiously.

I laughed softly. "We," I said, "are going to the Grove."

Her face lit up in a happy smile. Erica was only an apprentice, but she was still an accomplished enough wizard; when it came to plants and earth magic, I wasn't entirely sure that I had her skill.

"We're going to consult the dryads about the killings." She nodded, but in a way that made me suspect that she hadn't really heard me. I sighed inwardly. She was far too young to be caught up in this. "Grab your stuff."

I turned to my brother. "Be careful out there, Ian; whatever this is, it's bigger than us."

He nodded and went upstairs to gather his things. Erica passed him in the opposite direction, pausing just long enough to kiss his cheek.

I fished the keys to the old farm truck out of my pocket and tossed them to her. "It's about time you learned to drive stick."

She grinned, which made me worried, and we headed out to find out just what was killing people in my town.


	3. Chapter 3

Dead of Night (Chapter 3)

A cloud of dust followed in our wake as we drove along an unmarked gravel road that wound its way up Maryland Heights.

The truck sputtered as Erica drove, and I wondered how much longer it would be before I had to find something equally awful. The truck was from the fifties, but I could still barely keep it running. Hell, I could barely keep the toaster running, and that thing wasn't almost thirty years old. My mother had told me when I was little that it was because of how strong I was at magic, but I was pretty sure that the truck and the electronics in the house were just crap.

We arrived at the path that led to the Grove around noon, and began our ascent.

"Try extending your senses," I told Erica as we hiked, "the rattlesnakes are still out and about this time of year; it would be best if we knew our surroundings."

She nodded and closed her eyes, no longer straining with the effort as she had. I had to give it to her; Erica was becoming a force to be reckoned with. "Two eastern diamondbacks fifteen yards to the west, and one twenty-two yards to the southeast. There's also a black bear and her two cubs roughly one hundred yards to the south, and two hundred yards down."

"Nicely done," I said, genuinely impressed. I hadn't expected that. Sensing something from that far away took more skill than I realized she had. I made a note of it and kept walking.

We reached the Grove after only a few minutes of scaling the path and climbing through a cave. The mouth of the cave let out into a small clearing, no more than twenty feet in diameter, that looked over the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers to the south. In the middle of the grove, sat three large oak trees. A doe with silver fur sat between the trees, looking out to the river; I fell to my knees at once, in awe of its presence.

_What brings you and your student here, wizard?_ came a voice from inside my head. The doe turned to face me.

"I didn't mean to intrude," I managed to stammer; "I merely came seeking the knowledge of the dryads."

_Fear does not befit you, child. A Chosen should know respect of his betters but not fear._

I blinked. That was certainly new. "I do not understand."

_You will, in time. My sister will make her presence in your life known when she so chooses. Walk the path before you, and all shall be made clear._ The doe turned away and walked to the edge of the cliff._ Learn what you must from the dryads, child; a time is coming when forces will deny you knowledge to make you a pawn._ With that, she jumped from the edge, shimmering into silver light before disappearing from view.

"What was that?" Erica asked softly.

"That," I breathed, "was Artemis."

I heard her sharp intake of air as I rose to my feet. "I seek knowledge of the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Pennington, in addition to the disappearances in the area lately," I announced clearly. Three figures emerged from the trees with serene grace. They were all mesmerizing, wearing nothing but ethereal beauty.

"What do you offer in return?" came a sonorous voice. I forced myself to remember that these were ancient fae, masters of deceit and manipulation. My loins, as usual, disagreed with the sound logic, but I ignored them.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out an acorn. It was a bright gold and felt like stone, and as I held it for them it to see, it seemed to give off a light.

They gasped. "Where came you of this?" one of the dryads demanded. Their expressions were a dangerous mix of confusion and anger.

"A grove to the north that was destroyed," I answered. "The dryad there asked me to bring it to this grove."

"You will have the knowledge you seek," one whispered, "and in return you will plant the ἀστερίσκος."

"Agreed," I said, "under the condition that you also tell me the significance of this object." I was certain that I was going to regret this. The nymph in the center narrowed her eyes at me and I felt a pressure in the back of my skull, accompanied by a sudden, crushing despair. I pushed it aside with a monumental effort and brought a spell to my mind, and fire to my hand. "This is the price," I said through gritted teeth, "and if you attack me again, I will burn this place to the ground."

"Impertinent fool!" the dryad to the right screeched.

"I'm glad you understand," I growled. The dryad on the left raised her hand, and a wave of calm swept over the clearing.

She studied me for a second. "We agree to your terms. Please plant the ἀστερίσκος in the center of the Grove." I obliged her, making a small indent in the soft soil of the clearing and dropping the acorn in the hole and covering it up. "The ἀστερίσκος, in your tongue, the little star, is a piece of creation itself."

My jaw dropped. That was certainly not what I had expected. The dryad smiled. "Now," she continued, "what do you want to know about the disappearances and deaths?"

I started with a hunch. "Are they related?" She looked at me curiously, and slightly bemused.

"All things are related, wizard," she said sweetly, like a teacher speaking to a kindergarten student. "Though, these two are only related through your actions, and will only interact by your hand."

Trying to get a straight answer from the fae was more difficult than trying to hammer a nail with a noodle, and twice as frustrating. "Then, what forces are behind each?"

The dryad smiled and my legs wobbled a little. "In the night, a predator grows its pack, and a creature of the dark serves its masters." She was clearly enjoying this. "What else do you need to know?"

I sighed. "Where should I start looking?" I had a lot of work in front of me, and I didn't feel like wasting time chasing down dead ends. Hell, I might even get valuable information from the dryads that could keep me from running in circles. It was a long shot.

She laughed. "If you want to know about a predator, simply ask its prey." The three dryads turned and disappeared into their trees, the one who had spoken to me pausing before she did. She turned back to me for a second. "Good hunting, γόης." With that, she faded into the tree.

"Son of a bitch." It made sense. Why the hell hadn't I thought of that? I got to my feet and began the hike back to the truck.

"What's the matter?" Erica was still in shock from our meeting, and hadn't made the connection.

"If you were a predator that ate people, who would you go after first?" She looked at me with wide eyes. "Let me rephrase that; what are the biggest deterrents for the things that go bump in the night?"

I could see the wheels spinning in her head. "Um. Thresholds?" "That's one," I said, "but the big one is the herd instinct of people. When a serial killer is on the loose, people stop going out at night." Erica nodded, and I could see that she was keeping up. "So what kind of people would be the easiest prey?"

She chewed it over for a second as we walked, my pace quickening in excitement, and hers in response to mine. "People who wouldn't be noticed if they went missing."

"Precisely!" I said, clapping her on the shoulder.

"So where are we going then?" she asked.

"First, I'm going to talk to Sarah Oris' family. Tonight, I'm going to stop by the C&O canal." For once, something about this whole mess seemed to make sense.

Erica fell behind my train of thought. "Why are you going there?"

I smiled, pulling the keys out of my pocket as we reached the truck. "I'm going there," I said as I turned to face her again, "because the homeless in the area use it as a highway."

I saw it click in her eyes. "Do you think they're being preyed on?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out. Meanwhile, I want you to practice your shield spells. Also, a little practice with your throwing knives couldn't hurt."

She only deflated a little, but I saw it.

"I'll tell you what," I said, "practice whatever you want. Just make sure that it's magic and not my brother." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement, and a raven that had been sitting on the truck took off. That wasn't at all ominous.

"Thanks, Ryan," Erica said, audibly blushing through the words. Her voice brought me out of my brief reverie, and I unlocked the truck.

"No problem, kid." I opened the door and slid inside. "Let's get out of here before anything else weird happens."

"Yeah, right," Erica laughed.

My apprentice has a bad habit of being right.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

After dropping my apprentice off at my house, I began to pull out of the driveway. A blur of motion landed in front of me, and I stopped just in time to avoid hitting a raven in the middle of the gravel road. Its wings were so dark of a red as to appear black, in sharp contrast to its golden eyes. It looked up at me and took off again, following the road.

Out of curiosity, I decided to follow it. Following the raven wouldn't take more than half an hour, and it was only three, so I still had plenty of time to find out where Sarah Oris lived.

It flew higher when we reached downtown Shepherdstown, forcing me to crane my neck to see it. Winding its way through the town center, we soon reached the outskirts of town, where it came to rest atop the house of Mr. and Mrs. Pennington.

"Curioser and curioser," I muttered to myself as I shut off the engine and got out of the truck. I walked up to the house, ducking under the police tape at the gate. The police had put a padlock on the door. Going to the window, I found it unlocked, but stuck. I stuck my knife between the window and the frame, whispering "dorosh" as I used magic to lever the window open.

I slipped inside and was instantly surrounded by the black magic I had sensed before. It was slippery and corrupt, but not as potent as it had been. I closed my eyes and opened my Sight, the cords of magic that surrounded the room coming to life as I did. I focused on the threshold, millions of strands of white light that were woven together to create an almost impenetrable wall.

Except where someone had blasted them apart. The threshold simply did not exist at the door, or for two feet two either side of it. Where the hole began, the edges of the cords were charred and shredded. That was mortal magic, and a lot of it. I was reasonably sure that I could accomplish it, but that meant there was another wizard at least as strong as me in Shepherdstown.

I turned back to the room, bracing myself mentally.

It was not what I had expected.

Instead of mind-shattering horror, tendrils of wispy, black ink swirled randomly, turning the room into a macabre kaleidoscope. Reaching down, I touched one of the tendrils, feeling the raw power coursing through it. The energy itself wasn't evil; it was excited, hungry, strong, and_ alive_.

I shuddered. The enticement of that much power was undeniable. And if it wasn't inherently evil, then the right person might be able to use it for good. Maybe…

I climbed back out the window, making sure to close it behind me. I walked to my truck, as a jogger approached. I readied myself, but didn't look at her as she drew near.

"Ryan Ashwell?" she panted. I turned to face her. She was attractive, but not unreasonably so, and was currently bent double, resting her hands on her knees.

"That's me," I said, lowering my guard. I hadn't a feeling she wasn't going to murder me in the next minute or so.

"My name is Jackie Oris," she said. Giving out her true name like that meant she wasn't from the spooky side of the fence. Also, if she was related to Sarah, then this case was about to open right up.

"What can I do for you, Ms. Oris?" She straightened up, and I could see the worry drawn across her face.

She thought about it for a moment and started to turn. "Never mind. Maybe I should just wait. This is stupid, and I don't want to bother you."

"Wait!" She turned back to me. "Look, Ms. Oris, if there's anything I can help with, please just let me know."

She looked pensive for a moment, but I could see her resolve harden. "My sister's been gone for two days," she explained. "She's an adult, and I wouldn't be worried normally, but something about it just seems weird."

Always trust your instincts, kids.

"How so?" I asked. I didn't want to push her too far, but I had to get something out of her.

She frowned. "It's dumb, and the police don't think it's odd, but" she trailed off. She sighed. "She didn't even feed her cat. She wouldn't forget that; the cat means the world to her."

It was certainly interesting. "When was the last time you saw her?" I was new to the whole investigation thing, but I knew how to look for people. More often than not, it required a little magic and a whole lot of knowledge.

"Three nights ago," she said. "She went out for her run and never came back. She was supposed to run that morning with me, but she got called into work."

The run hadn't been planned, which meant that she had probably just ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time. An attack of opportunity, exactly how predators hunt.

"This may sound odd," I said, "but do you have any of her hair, or a piece of jewelry she liked?" She looked at me like I was crazy. I probably was, but that's beside the point. "It will help me find Sarah," I assured her.

She nodded, pretending to understand. She reached up to her neck, unclasping her necklace. "She has a matching one," she explained. "Will it help?"

I took it graciously and nodded. "I'll find her," I promised. Dead or alive, I thought cynically.

Jackie beamed. "Thank you so much, Mr. Ashwell." She jogged away, and I was left wondering how the hell I was going to find out what had taken Sarah.

"All in a day's work, ma'am," I said to no one in particular.

I got back in the truck. I drove to the canal and got out of the truck. A wizard's life is nothing, if not repetition.

Extending my senses, I started walking down the trail.

I began thinking about the events that had happened that day. First the murders, then the woman with the ankh, then Artemis, the raven, and Jackie. An unsettling notion began to creep over me: someone was guiding my steps. I didn't care if it was a god or goddess; I was no one's pawn.

I was so distracted by my thoughts, that I almost missed the sounds of life fifty yards to my left. I walked slowly toward it, being careful to avoid being heard. In the remnants of a small camp, a family of raccoons rummaged through some trash. Ashes from a fire no more than a day old, still smelled like wood smoke. This was definitely the spot.

I found a hidden spot with a view of the camp and waited. I meditated for several hours, before I heard the first human footsteps through the underbrush. I opened my eyes. The sun was setting, and the last rays of golden sunlight began to dwindle over the horizon as wisps of purple and pink turned grey.

Several people entered the camp, two men and three women. I slowly left my cover, projecting a sense of calm over the camp, and approached them. They looked up at me as they saw me, and I saw several hands go to concealed weapons. I held up my hands defensively, simultaneously channeling power into my staff. It never hurts to be prepared.

"The fuck do you want?" asked one of the men, his voice gruff from a hard life and too many cigarettes.

"I just have some questions," I said. "My name's Ryan. I need to know if anyone's gone missing lately."

The expressions on their faces in the firelight answered my question. It was right in front of me, the tension was drawn across their faces. It must have been happening for months. No wonder they'd almost drawn weapons.

"How long?" I asked softly.

The man who had spoken looked into the fire. "Six months. It started off slowly; at first we thought it was just arrests." He looked at the people around him. "But then it just exploded. Every day, there were half a dozen or more gone."

"Holy shit," I muttered. That was a lot of people over the course of six months.

"I saw one," one of the women said. "There was nothing holy about it." Another woman wrapped her arms around the first. I wasn't going to push it.

The man looked back at me. "You're the wizard, right?"

I nodded. The staff was probably a give-away.

"Then you know what they are," he said. He looked right into my eyes, and I met his gaze.

He changed in front of my eyes as we were sucked into the soulgaze. In his place was a soldier, wearing chainmail and wielding a longsword, his shield the only defense for his chosen family against the night. I looked into the darkness opposite his shield, and instantly knew what they were fighting.

For a wizard, I was sheltered. I had never met another wizard, except my mother, brother, and apprentice. I had seen demons, and the occasional werewolf, but Shepherdstown was not exactly a hotbed of supernatural activity. I had never seen what I saw in his soul, but I knew them from stories.

Vampires.

The soulgaze ended, and I swore loudly. The people in front of the fire looked at me cautiously. "It's the goddamned Red Court."

He nodded. "Please, help us," he asked. His pride was broken. The vampires may not have him yet, but they had gotten his spirit.

And that made me angry.

"I will destroy them," I promised him. "Each and every one."

I walked back to the truck. Righteous fury bubbled beneath the surface of my mind. I had dealt with monsters before. Each and every one had learned an undeniable lesson: the mortals in the area were under my protection. I was brooding in a way that only a wizard could, and I almost walked into my truck.

I fumbled for the keys, dropping them as energy from my shield necklace flared up, catching something behind my neck with so much force that my head slammed forward into the truck. My vision swam as I hit the ground.

A man with a baseball bat in one hand, and a .45 in the other, stood over me. He smiled and I saw his fangs. He pointed the gun at my face, giggling with malicious glee.

"Fuck you, wizard," he drawled in a smooth southern accent. I saw his finger move as he started to pull the trigger.

My day was just getting better and better.


End file.
